Multiverse Hope – a Marvel Movie Metaphor
We saw the new Spiderman movie last night, and although I wouldn’t describe Marvel movies as my first genre of choice, it was pretty awesome - that perfect Marvel blend of humor, relationships and pulled hearts-strings.
And then there’s this multiverse concept that, for the most part, just blows my mind. Until I realized this morning, while reading in the book of John, that I actually DO know something of this multiverse after all.
Let me explain. When I got to the end of John chapter 1, with Jesus telling Nathaniel that he would see greater things than Jesus knowing who he was, sitting under a fig tree, I was filled with wonder for some reason. I wish I could say I’m always filled with wonder when hearing Jesus’ words, but that’s far from the truth. But this morning, I was.
It was like being momentarily transported to another universe (called the Kingdom of God) where everything is right, good, incredible, and completely unlike the world we live in. I could see and taste – just for a minute – another world. A portal opened up and I caught a glimpse.
What does this have to do with hope? Just this – hope in the Kingdom of God looks very different than hope in this world. But they run parallel, and until we walk through that portal (death) to the other side, we live in both. Hebrews 13:14 says, “For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.”
My life here is very real. The joys, disappointments, heartache, frustrations and failures. And it is natural to “hope” for good things here – both for myself, and for my loved ones. But this particular universe that we happen to live in brings no assurance, no guarantees, no promises of rainbows and happy endings. Sin has permanently destroyed this place. We can’t fix it – or even our own hearts.
But God has revealed to us another universe. A glorious, perfect, satisfying, joy-filled place of peace and rest where His presence brings all that we need. All that we’ve ever wanted. All that we truly hope for.
And in this other universe, it makes no sense to hope for the things that we put our hope in here. What I seem to want here the most is for life to basically “turn out” the way I want it to – preferably without too much pain. Satisfying relationships, happy and God-fearing kids, minimal suffering (as defined by me), reasonable financial situation….the list goes on of what my heart hopes for in this life. But if I were to travel through a portal to God’s kingdom, none of that would make much sense.
Living in the now and the not yet is hard sometimes. The ache can sometimes feel unbearable. I’m learning (slowly) that the answer is not to strain to understand what in the world is God up to and why – but rather to look for the portal of understanding that takes me to another universe. I think of Job, who questioned what God was doing to his wretched life. And God’s answer did not include the “why’s.” Instead, He pointed to the other-worldly reality of who He is.
And that is what gives me real hope. God Himself, and the Kingdom He has prepared for me – in another “universe.” Don’t you just love it when secular movies unknowingly give glimpses of God’s marvelous redemption story? May we marvel more at Him this year, and less at our own feeble attempt at glory, comfort, and satisfaction. Might that be the key to hope?
Written by Sarah French
